Cannons or arrows - what to chose

[Cisz]

Arrows do twice the damage of a cannon - so cannons are for neubs - right?

No.

Think again - a cannon has splash, that is, it can hit several targets at once. So arrows are for niobs?

No.

It's difficult.

(All examples are for very hard.)

If you use super arrows on wave 3, the first hit will get a creep nearly killed. So the second hit will waste most of its damage. Arrows concentrate damage, cannons spread it. But which does more damage? In this example, cannons do more damge, but overall and in general: None. Both are equal. Ofc cannons do half damage to single targets like elementals or single creeps that got away. Use arrows against those. And arrows are a waste vs dense groups of creeps or many creeps with low health. Thats where cannons are better.

So here are some basic information about early game usage:

Scenario one: One arrow tower can kill one creep with one hit. That could be an earth arrow on wave 10 or a super arrow on wave 2.

Sollution: Use said one arrow on two pass (what is two pass?), and clear the wave with it. Careful: If you are playing single player or your position is not entirely two pass, you will need extra towers to finish off 1-3 creeps that run through. (Single player has faster creeps, remember?)

Scenario two: You would need more than two arrows to kill one creep with one volley.

Sollution: Use cannons instead.

Scenario three: Two arrow towers can kill one creep with one hit each if they hit the same creep. That could be a fire arrow and a super arrow on wave 10 or a super arrow and a basic arrow on wave 3.

Sollution: Use said two arrows on two pass, but only if you place them in a way that they both hit the same creep every time they fire. Try to find out how that is done.

Scenario four: You are very good and 1-4 arrows are enough.

Sollution: Place you arrows in a tight group on two pass and select each target manually.

[Guest Sancdar]

Creeps are faster on single-player? I never noticed!

[Cisz]

Seriously? I disbelieve.

[Guest Sancdar]

Nope, never had a clue. How much faster?

[Cisz]

Single player you will leak one creep on fast waves with once-a-second towers on one hit (1 earth arrow on 10; 1 rainbow on 19). Multiplayer you will hold them.

It's a very slight difference.

[Guest shadowfuri]

wow thanks!! for the reply ^^

[Guest Lajm]

I think Cisz should have an own section with his guides or if there was a section with just guides. Anybody could ask questions in the Strategy forum and if it was small questions they could be answered in that thread and if it was a bigger question somebody could write a guide about it and place it in the Guide forum.

[Guest sillyboy_tomato]

I still prefer Canon Over Arrow.

But I dont underestimate the arrow tower. It is always good to have 3 super element canon tower then One super arrow tower to make a two pass more effective

[Guest Issunboshi]

I'm not sure if it's a feat to not leak anything the first few levels on VH (I'm guessing it's not?) but I can do it starting with 2 arrows and not micro anything (opposite what Cisz is suggesting?). After my first 2 arrows I get a cannon.

I don't think you should just build only arrows or only cannons (I dunno if that is being insinuated or not). the guide says that you are very good if 4 arrows are good enough (I'm assuming its for levels 1-5..). I build 3 arrows and 1 cannon.

[Karawasa]

Then I have accomplished my goal of making it so that arrows and cannons are both viable options .

[Guest Sancdar]

Generally it does make more sense to stick to one, unless you're great at microing. If you have a Super Arrow that can kill a creep in two shots, but your Cannon splashes end up doing like 1/4 damage to it before the arrow kills it, you've just wasted that splash.